From Drudge!
FLASH: Alan Keyes selected to run for US Senate in Illinois...
Posted on 08/04/2004 10:32:50 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
OPINION - We’ve leveled our fair share of criticism at the Illinois Republican Party. And we stand by it. But this is not to say that we don’t recognize an insight when they, or at least certain members of the party apparatus, offer one.
The apparent effort by some within the ranks of the GOP’s state central committee to think outside the box and outside the state of Illinois to recruit a gifted man and inspiration leader in Alan Keyes to be the party’s GOP Senate nominee is worthy of commendation.
Whether or not Alan Keyes accepts the overture, some party leaders are finally sending a strong and encouraging message that the party needs to get back to its roots, get back to the big ideas on which it has historically stood and enlist articulate standard-bearers for those big ideas who have the capacity to build the party around its key tenets.
Alan Keyes unquestionably fits that description. Democratic U.S. Senate nominee and national celebrity Barack Obama will probably give pause to those Lincoln-Douglas debates he had proposed between former GOP Senate candidate Jack Ryan and himself.
Keyes versus Obama in debate from Zion to Cairo would be a battle of intellects worthy of the citizens of Illinois. It would be an appropriate contest for possible control of the world’s most important deliberative body. And Keyes has perhaps the singular ability among the field of candidates mentioned to be ready to take this campaign and make it a race from the get go.
We hope those leaders who have pushed this idea will foster further support for it. Moreover, we hope Alan Keyes will see what an opportunity this would be for him and for the issues for which he is such a passionate spokesman.
Stay tuned, Illinois. This U.S. Senate race may just be getting good.
A real liberal vs a real conservative? The country could stand to benefit from a series of debates. Illnois is the perfect venue for them.
I think it is great, and though at this time I don't consider him Presidential material (due to style), I do think he is brilliant and more than capable for the Senate.
I wish there were ten thousand of him, he's a good man.
From Drudge!
FLASH: Alan Keyes selected to run for US Senate in Illinois...
If a real conservative can win here, there might be hope yet.
If not, I'm embarrassed to say that my state will have the 2 most liberal senators in the country. And that's saying a lot when you look at NY and CA.
This is actually embarrassing. Are we just as sleazy as the Dem's now? We are trying to pull a NJ in Illinois now? This sucks. Keyes doesn't know jack about IL and the GOP shouldn't be supporting him. How can you complain about Hitlery the carpetbagger and Toricelli fleecing the election laws when you are willing to cherrypick anybody from around the contiguous 48 to run in Illinois? Its pathetic that the GOP doesn't have a farm team there. They need to regroup and figure out a winning strategy for the state which doesn't rely on being bailed out every 2 years by some celebrity.
I'm waiting for this kind of defeatist response. You can take your superior attitude and do what Tereza Kerry said.
Obama is out right dangerous! He has no views that any one would consider "moderate". This is a real war. I do not want an avid commie/socialist as my senator.
Take the real fight to the Democrats who had to hide the odious theology of Obama.
Stop devouring our own.
- Alan Keyes
- Alan Keyes
This is the one quote more than any other that Alan Keyes is going to be asked about on the campaign trail. However, I think he will be able to get beyond it. For one thing, he's rushing in to rescue the Illinois GOP and give Illinois voters a clear choice after the previous candidate withdrew suddenly. That wasn't the case with Hillary at all.
Also, Hillary PRETENDED to be a New Yorker, PRETENDED to be a Yankees fan, PRETENDED to represent the people there. I don't think Mr. Keyes will play make-believe with the Illinois voters.
An interesting approach for Keyes might be to suggest that Illinois voters send him to Washington, D.C., to represent the 40 million or so babies who have been aborted in this country and haven't been able to vote in any state at any point in time.
It would be an interesting approach, but I don't think it would be a winning approach in Illinois.
Regards, Ivan
This could now be a huge victory for the GOP. Keyes would make it a National Race. The media he would get would allow him to shred the Democrats every single day. And everytime Moveon.org or Mr. Moor(on)e or Kerry came up with some lies about the President, well can you say - ATTACK DOG.
No one can articulate the Pro Life position as well as Keyes. And as for the thing with Keyes critical of the Hillary carpetbagging in New York well.... when the ump starts calling outside pitches strikes
You Swing or you strike out.
Nothin could be beta than seeing Obamasama start to cry in a debate with Keyes.
And this will really motivate the GOP, especially those who have been discouraged by our Presidents Open Border policy with senor Vincente Fox.
Come on Mr. Keyes, your country needs you and Obama needs a lil schoolin.
Thats before the game started. But if the ref is allowing goal tending, you better goal tend, if the ump is allowing 4 strikes you better use em. If the enemy starts using Nukes, you better push the button.
Time to push the button, go to max defcon.
Keyes will leave Obama on the debate floor crying for his mama.
You're probably right. Of course, it's going to be difficult for Keyes to come up with any kind of winning approach against Obama after the lame Rather-Jennings-Brokaw media has practically elevated Obama to sainthood just because he's a liberal minority who can form a complete sentence on national TV.
If I was setting the odds in Vegas, I'd make Keyes about a 100-to-1 longshot. I believe the only chance he has to win is to motivate conservative voters in a way we've never seen before. Even then, he'd probably need Obama to either have a scandal break out before the election or have a major stumble during debates.
Being able to address that quote is the least of my worries. If that is all the dims have to attack him with, then I say bring it on! First of all, Keyes is being drafted by our state GOP due to the unfortunate situation of Ryan dropping out. Secondly, there is not one once of pretense in Alan Keyes in contrast to Hillary. Thirdly, it is perfectly legal. Finally, it is a dead end issue that will only have legs for a week -- tops!
The thing I am worried about the most is the number and format the debates Obama agrees to. Keyes should insist on no fewer than three debates.
An uphill battle, but if anyone can do it, Alan can...
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